Arizona, BNSF partner to upgrade safety at crossings

The Arizona Department of Transportation will partner with BNSF to install new technology to enhance vehicle safety at railroad crossings.

Crossings at Greenway Road and at 163rd Avenue in Surprise, Ariz., will be fitted with devices that allow trains to be detected sooner as they approach, providing more time for vehicles and pedestrians to clear the intersection.

These new devices, allowing for "advanced detection," as opposed to simultaneous detection, will be installed at various locations along the Grand Avenue corridor. The "advanced detection" interfaces recently completed internal testing to ensure compatibility and reliability with ADOT traffic signals.

Both intersections are safe, with neither reporting any crashes involving the railroad in at least the past five years, according to data from the Federal Railroad Administration. No crashes have occurred at 163rd Avenue, which is designated as a "quiet zone" crossing.

Installation of the "advanced detection" devices will be done in coordination with BNSF, which operates the line along Grand Avenue.